Bearing for centrifugal machines.



L. GRISCOM.

BEARING FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13. I916.

1 ,305,796. 1 larentodLhuxe 3, 191% 2 SHEETS -SHEET I.

Fig. 1 29 Fig. 3 I 12 I 7 wlmiss s: 7' mmvron M M v H/s TTORNEYJ L. GRISCOM.

BEARING FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES.

APPLICAHON FILED APR.I3.19I6.

Patented Juno 3, 1919. 1I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR WITNESS 8' /1/5 ATTORNEYS shaft carrying the basket.

UNI'llEll cum"..uml-wm-wrmmmmwmmu WORKS, INCORPORATED, 3L

UORFORATIUN O1 PENNSYLV;

BEARING FUR UENTltlil UGd-ii MACHINES.

Application filed April 13, 1916.

L7 '0 all whom it may concern Be it known that L Lnsmr. Giiiscon, a citizen of the United States, and'resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania. have invented new and useful lmprovementsin Bearings for Centrifugal Machines, of which the "following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in centrifugal machines, such as are used for extracting liquids from solid substances.

Machines of this type comprise a frame upon which a curb or tub carried and within which curb or tub there revolves a basket which is carried on ashaft that is supported in a standard carried on the frame. W hen in use this basket revolves at a high. rate of speed and hence it is advisable to have this standard mounted so that the upper end thereof can yield or swing in order to accoinniodate itself to the vibratory movements which frequently take place during the time that the basket being spun or revolved at the high velocities employed.

The present invention relates to the mannor of mounting and securing this standard in place on the frame; it also relates to the manner of mounting the shaft in the stand ard which carries the basket, as well as to the means whereby the shaft is driven. Frequently. in centrifugal machines it isde-.

sirable to discharge the solid matter from the basket tl'irough openings in the bottom thereof.

According to the construction shown in the accompanying drawings which constitute a part of the specification. these openings. are. normally closed by a bell-shaped valve that is located within and which engases the upper surface of a bottom portion of the basket. This valve is preferably made so that it can be secured in closing position by bayonet connection between it and the From the discharge openings through the bottom of the basket the solid matters pass to an inclined trough whereby they are conveyed from the machine. At the iipper end of the trough there is a circular opening through which the standard passes and in order that the solid substance being discharged from the basket will not-pass through this opening there is provided around the shaft-ihat is located within the standard-a bell-shaped Specification of Letters Patent.

l atented June Serial No. 70,822.

portion. Tlhis bell shaped portion covers the circular opening at the upperend of the trough and is arranged to direct any substance passing through the bottom of the basket into the trough. This bcll-shaped portion i'nay be considered to be and a partof the basket and the discharge open; ings from the basket are located all the e);- terior of this bellshaped portion. Means for securing the upright hollow member or standard in place relative to the frame comprises bolts and buffer springs all of which are located below and none of which extend through tl e trough. It will therefore be seen that the arrangement is such that there is little liability or chance for a clogging of the trough by the solid matters discharged through the openings in the bottom of the basket and that there is also practically no chance for any oi. the liquid or solid mat ters which are acted upon in the machine comingin contact with the bearings for the shaft, or with the means that operate the shaft.

in the apparatus illustrated the bearings are. of the type known as anti-friction bearings, that is, they are ball-bearings, and the construction is such that these bearings will at all times be properly oiled. The machine is also preferably constructed so that all parts thereof are readily accessible to facili tate adjustment or repair.

A. specific embodiment of the invention is illustrated in said accompanying drawings, in which drawings- .l igure l is a vertical sectional view through the central portion of the machine. This is a. view taken as on the plane 1l looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 2 is a vertical view looking at the machine from the. rear; in other words, in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1. and Fig. 3 is a d awing of a detail.

The machine comprises a main frame 1 that is seated on any suitable foundation.

A curb or tub 2 is carried on the upper portion of this frame and is secured in place thereupon as by means of bolts 3. A revoluble basket l is located within the curb or tub. The basket is mounted upon the upper end of a shaft 5 that extends through and is carried by an upright hollow memher or standard. 6. The standard is in turn mounteijl upon a bracket 7 which in effect constitutes a part of the main frame since by means of the bolts 8. Thestandard is provided at its lower end with a spherical portion 9 that rests in a spherical seat in a r 'id manner it is secured theretoin the bracket 7. in an upright position by builing members, six in number which are equallys nrced about the standard. Each of these boiling memberscomprises a bolt 12, the head 12 of which rests in a semispherical member 13 that is in turn seated in an car 14 on the bracket 7 the bolt also passes through an ear 15 on the standard 6. On the upper end of each of these bolts there is a cap 16 between whichand the cars 15 of the standard there is located and secured in compression a spring; 17 These springs are inclined to the horizontal and are tangent to a, sphere the center of which coincides.

with the center of the spherical seat. It will thus be manifest that the upper end of the standard. will have a slight yielding movement which is permitted to take place due to the ball and socket hearing at the lower end of the standard 6 end thereof; preferably integral with this pulley there is a brake-member 15) which can be utilized to arrest, when def-sired the movement of the revoluble element which comprises the shaft and the basket.

ulley 18 is positioned so that the pressure of the belt which passes over the pulley is in line with thecentcr of the spherical. seat. With the parts arranged as shown the machine can be constructed so as to be driven by a belt which comes in from any one of three directions, viz., from the right, the left or the back, the belt being prevented by the trough from coming in from the fourth direction, viz.,- from the front.

The frame is provided at the upper part thereof with a gutter portion 20 in which there is located a gutter lining This gutter lining is arranged so to receive any of the liquids dropped into it from the space 22 between the curb or tub and the li'"0llll)l(, basket. This gutter lining empti into a conduit 52f: that conveys the liquids from the machine. The basket 4 corn prises The usual perforated cylindrical member 241 the t is carried by a bottom nle1nber the latter of which fixedly secured t0 the shaft 5 by being clamped between The standard is maintained- Tbe a shoulder S and nut N. A key K is pro 7 vided between the shaft 5 and member so that both will rotate together. to lock the nut .lfl in place a pin may be provided if desired The bottom 25 has an inwardly-and downwardly sloping portion 26, which sloping portion is'in ell'ect an annular portion that providessubstantially the entire floor part of the basket. This bottom. member 25 also icompriscs a bell 27 and webs 28 that serve to connect the annular portion 26 to the bell portion 27.

through the opening 31 the standard 6 passes.

jls-t will be observed that the bell 27 is larger at thelower end than the upper portion 30 of the trough whereby any material passing from the basket will be prevented from entering the space between the upper portion 30 of the trough and the standard 6. There is located within the basket a valve 32 which engages the lower end of the inwardly and downwardly sloping portion. 26 so as to close or cover the opening in the basket when the valve is in place. When the valve is raised, as will be presently explained, the material. within the basket can be discharged in the manner heretofore described. This valve 32 prefer-ably con'iprises a bell-shaped Inen'rber 33 to the lower end of which there secured a rubber packing 34. This packing may be secured in place as by clamping it between the inner ring 35 and the lower on d 36 of the bell-shaped member 33. To the upper end ot the bell-shaped member 33 there is secured a hollow steni mem-ber 37. Within this stennineiuher-37 there is located in order the lower end of an upper bayonct-connecting member 38. This lmyonetconnecting member 38 coiiperates with a lower bayonet-connecting member 35' the latter of which is secured at 4L0 :to the upper end of the shaft 5 and is locked or keyel in place on said shaft as by means of a pin -l-.l. The upper lnryo uet-connecting member 38 passes upwardly A so that when a partial rotation is imparted to the handle inem'bei efi a corresponding iurrtial rotation will be imparted to the upper bayonet member 38. It will thus be no'ted that when the shaft 5 is still the bayo-- net connection can be made or disengaged at the will of the operator by merely turning the handle member h). \Vhen the members ofthe bayonet connection are in disengaged position the valve 32 can be readily raised and removed from the curb or tub. if desired, by merely lifting on the handle member whereas, on the other hand, the valve 32 will be maintained in closed position or in position to cover the holes by completing the bayonet connection. Any suitable packing may be provided at i? between the nut 42 and the upper end of the hollow stemn'iemb er 37.

In case it should be desired to remove the basket 4 from the shaft 5 it will be observed th at it Will only be necessary to disconnect the bayonet connection and remove the valve 252; then remove the nut Nand if desired possibly the lower bayonetecoiinectiing member 39 from the shaft 5-and then ren'iove the basket proper as a. whole from its place on the shaft. The shaft 5 is mounted in the upright standard (5 in the following manner:

An intermediate member or bearing ring carrier i8 is forced on the shaft so as to en cage the underside of the shoulder S. ()n the exterior of this bearing-ring carrier there is mounted an inner ring d9 of a radial roller bearing 50. The underside of the bearingring carrier rests upon an upper ring 51 of a roller thrust bearing 52; The outer ring 53 of the radial roller bearing is located within a socket portion at the upper end of the upright hollow member or standard 6 and engages with the latter. It will thus be observed that the radial thrust from the shaft is imparted to the upper end of the standard through the bearing 50 just referred to. The downward thrust of the shaft is taken care of by means of the thrust bearing 52 the lower bearing ring of which rests upon a ring; 55 that is seated in a socket in the standard (3. Sutlicient space is provided. between the shaft 5 on theone hand and-the. lower portion of the intermediate bearing-ring carrier 48 and thrust;

bearing 52 onthe otherhaml to permit the reception of a cylindrical sleeve 56. This sleeve 56 1s fixedly secured in the standard "(3, as by means of a screw connection at 537.

the upper end of the sleeve 56. By removing the plug y) the operator can tell when the bGtIIHIQIS 50 and 3'2 have been sul'liciently supplied with oil.

A vent hole or duct 59 is provided in the intermediate or bearing-ring carrier +2.8 to break any vacuum that may be created by the oil flowing downwardly bctwcen the retaiuiug sleeve 56 and the shaft. If it were not for the breaking of this vacuum the oil would at times siphon out of the upper hearing to a place which is on a level with the lower face of the upper raceway of the thrust bearing 51. The upper end of the standard (5 is provided with a cap 60 that is secured inplace by cap-screws til, and any suitable packing can be provided, as at ca, between the cap 60 and the intermediate or upper ring carrier 48 on the shaft As this bearing ring carrier is practically fixed upon the shaft it may be considered to constitute a part of the shaft. Any oil which iiows over the upper edge of the cylindrical sleeve 56 is free to pass downwardly in the space between the shaft 5 and the standard (5 to the radial-roller bearing ($2. The inner ring 63 of this hearing is seated on a depending stem 64.- and bears against a shoulder The inner ring 63 is locked in place, as by means of a lock-nut (56, the latter of which can be locked on the lower end. of the standard, as by means of a pin or other securing means. The outer ring 67 of the radialroller bearing 62 is seated on a member 68. This member 68 in effect constitutes the hub portion of the driving pulley 18 and brakemember 19. This hub portion is maintained in place on the lower end of the shaft 5 by -1neans of a nut 69 and key '40.

In order to prevent any leakage of oil from between the shaft and this hub portion a cap '71 is provided. The oil passing down ward along the shaft 5 can pass into the space below the radial bearing 62, as by flowing through the opening at 72. Since there is no opening for the escape of oil below this hearing it will back up, covering the bearing in the receiving space 73, from whence itcan flow through drain openings 74.

From what has preceded it will be inanifest that all the bearings are arranged so as to be constantly flooded with oil, thus insuring proper lulu-ication. The basket and shaft can be rcadil y removed by merely removing the :ap T1, the nut (59 and the hub (38. after which the basket and shaft can be lifted from the machine.

7 law-ill be manifest that the curb top )1 would have to be removed in case it should be desired to lift the basket from the curb or tub when the latter is in place on the frame. It will also be manifest from what has preceded that all of the operative parts of the machine, for instance the bearings,

the driving mechanism, and the bailing members are protected from contact with any of the substances being operated upon in the machine, be it the solid matter or the liquids. The buffer members for instance are arranged below the trough and do not pass through the trough; hence they will. re

main clean and are always accessible, as

. through. the opening; in the rear of the machine. The driving i'nechanism and the brake mechanism are accessible from below for any reason it became desirable to employ the former type of bearings.

It will also be noted that by removing the nut N from the shaft and by rmnovlng the bolts 8 tiat secure the l 'acket in place the entire mechanism. comprising the shaft,

standard, bearing, springs, brackets, etc, can be lowered as a whole for repairs, and if a separate similar mechanism were on hand a replacement could be quickly made and the operation of the machine delayed but little. If this feature of cmistruction is to be taken advantage of it will be manifest that the foundation or supports for the machine should be such that the parts will be acces sible from belowa foundation construction which can be readily made.

The materials of which the machine is made are of course dependent upon the use to which the machine is put. In the particular machine illustrated a lining 75, such as lead, is provided on the interior of the curb or tub. The gutter lining is made of bronze, as is also the revoluhle basket. A suitable packing as'i'li is also provided between the gutter lining and the lower end of the curb or tub.

' The improvements herein set forth are not limited to the precise construction and ar rangement shown and described for they may be embodied in various forms and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope ofthc invention.

Wind 1 claim is:

1. A. centrifugal machine comprising; in combination a basket, a hollow upright momher or standard, a sl'ntft carried in said standard, upon which shaft said basket is mounted, a radial roller bearing between the shaft and the upper end of the standard, a thrust bearing between the shaft and said standard, and a radial roller bearing bemenace tween the exterior. of said standard and a member which is on or secured to the shaft.

In. combination, a hollow member, a shaft in said hollow member, a cylindric drum on said shaft, a radial roller bearing between the interior of said drum and the exterior of the hollow member, a thrust bearing between the shaft and said hollow member, and a secondradial roller-bearing between the interior of said hollow member and a member that is on orsccured tothc shalt.

3. A. centrifugal machine comprising in combination a basket, a hollow upright member or standard which extends into or adjacent to the space defined by the lower portion of the basket, a shaft carried in said standard and upon which shaft said. basket is mounted, a radial roller bearing between the shaft and the upper end ofthe standard, a thrust bearing between the shaft. and said standard, and a radial roller hearing between the exterior of said standard and a men'iber which is on or secured to the lower end of said shaft.

r. A centrifugal machine comprising in combination a hollow member or standard, a basket with a bottom having a bell-shaped central portion into the hollow under portion of which the upper end of said standard projects, a shaft to which said bell-shaped portion of the bottom. is connected, which shaft extends from the upper end of said standard, said shaft having thereupon a shoulder against the underside of which a bearing ring carrier engages, a roller radial bearing the inner ring of which is mounted upon said carrier and the outer ringi of which is seated withina recem' at the upper end of the standard, a roller thrust bearlng upon the upper ring of which said carrier ring is seated, the lower ring of said thrust hearing being carried in a seat on said standard, the standard having a cylindrical sleeve which extends through a space between the thrust bearing members and the shaft up into a space between the bearing ring carrier and the shaft, cylindrical sleeve extendin upwardly past the center of the balls or rollers in said roller radial bean ing, there also being means whereby oil can be supplied to the spaces in which said bearingsare located.

5. A centrifugal machine comprising in combination a main frame, a standard, said w standard having a spherical. portion which is seated. in the socket of a bracket on the frame, means for maintaining the standard in upright position on the frame, a basket,

a shaft extending through the stz'indard to I which shaft the basket is secured, a radial roller bearing located at the upper end of the standard between the standard and the shaft, a radial roller bearing below the spherical portion :ol the standard between memes the standard and the shaft, and a thrust bearing locatedbelow the upper radial roller v hearing, which. thrust bearing is between the throught the centers of the rollers dr balls -in said upper radial bearing, there being a, duct through which oil can flow to said thrust bearing and upper radial bearing.

6. A machine comprising; in combination a hollow standard or upright member having a spherical seat at the lower end thereof, a bracket member providing a seat for receiving-said spherical end, and bufi'er means for maintaining the standard in upright position, a shaft located in said standard, means for driving said shaft, and a roller bearing, the inner ring of which bearing is seated on the exterior of said standard below said spherical portion thereof, the outer of which bearing is seated on. a hub inen'iber carried on said shaft. V

7. A machine comprising in combination a hollow standard or upright member, a shaft located in said standard, means for driving said shaft, and a roller bearing, the inner rings)? which bearing is seated on the exterior or" said standard,'the outer ring of which bearing is seated on a hub member carried on the lower end portion of said shaft, said hub member being provided with a cap covering the lower end of said shaft, the construction lacing such that oil flowing downwardly along; said shaft will be permitted to enter the spaces in which bearing is located.

8. A centrifugal machine comprising in combination a main frame, a hollow standard, a bracket carried by said frame for supporting said standard, a curb or tub carried by said frame, a shaft extending through said standard and a basket mounted upon said shaft, the lower end of said standard being in the form of a portion of a sphere and being mounted in a. spherical seat in said bracket so that the upper end of the standard can yield and swing in any direction, there being a bearing in the upper end of said standard between it and the shaft, there also being yield-able means extending between the bracket and the lower portion of the standard :lorinain'raining the standard in upright position, which yieldable means comprises springs that are inclined to the horizontal and that are tangential to a sphere the center of which coincides with the center of the spherical seat of the bracket.

9. A centrifugal machine of the class described comprising in combination a main. frame, a hollow upright member or -.itand- 21rd, a bracket for i-uipportiu the standard. on the frame the lower end oi said slam'lard being a portion of a sphere which is seated in a spherical portion or seat on the racket. inclined bolts extending from the bracket upwardly through ea or lips onthe stand- 2111i, there also being con'ipression springs between the upper end oi the bolt and said lips whereby said bolt and spring; construction will serve as butler means for v labl r hold.- ing the slandarr'l in upright position, a curb or tub on the frame, a shaft extending through the standard. driving means secured to the lower end of the shaft, a basket secured to the upper end of the shaft, a radial ball bear-linebetween the shaft and the upper end oi the upright standard, :t thrust ball bearing arranged to receive the downward thrust of the vertical load upon the shaft. and a radial ball bearing below said spherical seat between the hollow standard and a member connected to the shaft.

10. A'centril ugral machine having in combination with the main portion of the frame and the TGVOllllJlg basket which extends over the frame, of a bracket, 2: standard yieldablv mounted upon said bracket, a driving; shaft for said basket mounted in said standard, and-a shaft driving member connected with said shaft, which bracket, standard, shaft and shaft'driving member can be lowered from place and removed from the machine by disconnecting the revbluble basket from the shaft and by disconnecting the bracket from the main portion of the frame.

ll. A machine oi? the class described having in combination an upright hollow standard, a shaft mounted so as to revolve in said standard and a suitable bearingbetween the upper end of the standard and said shaft, the standard bein provided with a duct or passageway and a checkvalve for closing" said iassageway through which valve and passageway lubricating oil can be supplied to said bearing, the standard also being provided vith a. removable plug whereby the --shaft on the interior of the standard can be -viewed to determine wheii sullicient lubri eating oil has been supplied to said bear-in '12. A machine of the class described having in combination a bracket, an upright standard mounted upon and secured to said bracket, there being a ball socket bear-- ing between said standard and said bracket, a basket driving sliiaiit, extending :ijroin the lower end of said standard and a member secured. to the liver end of said shalt bea, shaft tliifindild 'ti'ai'ough said standm'd, a basket (fkfll'ii'd at me upper end- 01 the. shwft and a member secured to the lower end 01: said shaft betwen whim 'member and the exterior portion of the lower end of the standard there is I'OVidfid a suit-able radial,

bearing, said memaer 211530 marrying a. pulley Wlnch is positioned so that, the preasum of the belt which over the pulley is in line wiih the center of the spherical seat. 14) This Specification signed and witnessed this (5th day 015 April, A. 1),, 1916.

LESLIE GRESGOM. Signed in the presence of- CLARENCE A. GOSLKN, GLA ns'rom 1c ii nsmm DEN. 

